What is leather
The skin consists of epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous adipose tissue.
On the body of an adult man there can be up to 2 square meters of skin, which weighs about 4 kilograms. It protects and allows you to maintain a stable body temperature, performs secretory and immunological functions, and is also involved in the metabolism of certain nutrients. There are many dermatological diseases that cause changes in the appearance of the skin. But sometimes, based on her condition, diseases of the internal organs can be diagnosed.
In order for our skin to have a healthy appearance, the endocrine, circulatory, nervous and digestive systems, especially the stomach, liver and intestines, must function properly in the body. In addition, the condition of our outer shell significantly depends on nutrition, consumption of sufficient amounts of vitamins and microelements.
If any of the systems fails, this affects the appearance of the skin: it may change shade, become dry or, conversely, sweat a lot, become covered with spots or pimples. By the way, at one time the Russian surgeon and anatomist Nikolai Pirogov developed an atlas in which he described different conditions of human skin. Based on this guide, several dozen diseases can still be identified today.
Pallor
Pale or unhealthy white color indicates various diseases, in which:
a) there is acute or chronic blood loss:
- endometriosis;
- ectopic pregnancy;
- peptic ulcer;
- internal bleeding;
b) the blood vessels of the skin spasmed so that there was enough blood for the central organs:
- angina pectoris;
- oncological diseases of any localization;
- heart defects;
- aortic aneurysm;
- fat embolism;
c) diseases that occur with intoxication, due to which vasospasm occurs: ARVI (especially influenza), asthma attack, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases;
d) there is not enough melanin, which causes the skin to become more “transparent”. If this occurs throughout the skin, and there is also a lack of melanin in the iris of the eye, then this is albinism or phenylketonuria. When individual white spots appear on the skin, we can talk about vitiligo, a disease that has many causes;
e) deficiency of substances from which hemoglobin is formed: iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, proteins, glutathione, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. These are different types of anemia - deficiency and hypoplastic. The latter may occur due to kidney disease;
f) autonomic regulation of blood vessels is impaired (vegetative-vascular dystonia). This can be said if the pale color occurs during stress, fear, or nervous experiences;
g) hormonal regulation of vascular tone is disrupted: diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism;
h) edema, due to which skin vessels are poorly visible: hypothyroidism, kidney disease, loss of proteins due to exudative enteropathy, burns, malabsorption syndrome.
Which doctors should I contact if I have jaundice?
Emergency physician Gastroenterologist Infectious disease Hematologist
At the first signs of yellowing of the skin or mucous membranes, as well as darkening of the urine, you should immediately consult a doctor!
If you begin to notice that your skin takes on a yellow tint, or the sclera takes on the same color, then you have probably contracted jaundice. Jaundice has never been an independent disease, and is more likely to be understood as a condition that shows that something is wrong in the body and you need medical supervision. The yellow “coloring” of the skin and sclera indicates the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubins are yellow pigments or products of the natural breakdown of red blood cells in the liver.
Most often, bilirubin combines with the contents of the digestive system and “exits” from the body. However, if it was not completely eliminated, it accumulates, which will indicate the presence of infection, blockage of the bile ducts or other liver complications.
Symptoms
The sclera and skin acquire a yellow tint. The urine turns dark brown (may resemble tea). Pale stool. You feel feverish and have chills. Frequent discomfort in the right upper abdomen. You lose your appetite and maybe your weight.
Difficulties
Newborns stop “suffering” from jaundice after a short period. But sometimes there is an inability to remove bilirubin from the body, which can lead to anemia, which can then become the beginning of an insufficient supply of blood to the tissues and cells of the body. As a result, it can lead to physical and mental developmental delays.
What are your reactions
Visit less, and especially dine in cafes/restaurants where their cleanliness is questionable, and also use contraception when having sex with a partner who is infected.
Call your doctor if you notice even one sign of jaundice.
The medicine should be taken only as prescribed by your doctor and consult with him about any disorders or deterioration in health. Follow all the doctor's instructions, they must be followed. You may not realize that the treatment process can change due to the causes of jaundice, but it is true. When you feel much better, the yellow tint to your skin may disappear.
How can a doctor help?
We recommend that you consult a doctor, and the sooner, the better for your health. Jaundice can be cured in different ways, and it depends only on the causes of the disease. Your doctor will tell you to have your blood tested, measure your liver function, do a liver biopsy, and sometimes give you special radiation to identify the cause of the disease and decide on the best treatment. Treatment may include taking medications, involving surgeons, it all depends on the causes of jaundice. If you use phototherapy, then due to irradiation, bilirubin breaks down and becomes much better excreted. In some cases, jaundice in newborns is caused by atresia of the bile ducts (lack of lumens). In this case, surgery is necessary during the first six weeks of the child’s life; this is the period and methods that can help achieve significant improvements in the child’s condition.
Visitor question:
I am shocked and upset - both my child and I have yellow skin. Not everywhere, but in spots: yellow skin on the face, the child has a yellow ear, a large uneven yellow spot on the arm, yellow skin on the stomach and on the leg. All my fingers and palms are yellowish, and there are spots on my face. I’m horrified, I discovered all this now in the evening after a walk. Why can the skin turn yellow, what to do? Oh, I'm afraid of the worst thing - jaundice. But no one in our country had it and there was no contact with strangers, and jaundice is transmitted through hands, as far as I know. I don’t want to call an ambulance, it’s better to wait for the local police officer from the clinic tomorrow, but I definitely won’t sleep all night, I’ll tear my hair out. Or is it better to go to an ambulance? What to do, who has experience?
1. Massage the inside of your palm.
2. Yawn. This way you will get more oxygen and relax your facial muscles.
3. Prepare a decoction of viburnum. This drink is very calming.
4. Take a contrast shower. This helps to “reboot” your body.
5. Listen to relaxing music.
Comments 7
Skin color is initially determined by the race to which a person belongs. And if you have fair skin, with a pink tint and blush on your cheeks, then the appearance of an unusual and frightening yellowish color of the epidermis indicates some kind of malfunction in the body.
Redness of the skin
A red complexion is not always a sign of alcohol abuse, as previously thought. This is a sign of the following diseases:
- Arterial hypertension (increased blood pressure), which can accompany hypertension, develops as a result of kidney or adrenal diseases. Redness of the face develops against the background of a headache, spots before the eyes, and pain in the heart.
- Carbon monoxide poisoning . This happens to people with stove heating who are in an unventilated room.
- Erythrocytosis , in which there is too much hemoglobin and red blood cells, which does not improve oxygen transport, but poses a danger in terms of increased thrombus formation. Here the face and shoulders are bright red. This intensifies after taking a bath, and with this comes skin itching.
- Allergic reaction : to medications, food, household chemicals, introduction of worms into the intestines and other things. In addition to redness, a dry cough, sneezing, and possibly diarrhea often appear. Improvement is observed if the allergen is eliminated.
- Rosacea . At first, the skin turns red only when exposed to heat or cold, but gradually the face ceases to return to its normal color. Typically, pathology develops in women during menopause. It must be distinguished from the redness of the face characteristic of this period, which accompanies the sensation of “flushing”.
- Tuberculosis . Here the cheeks are constantly red, but this color is not bright. In addition, the nasolabial triangle has a bluish tint, there is also a cough, and a constantly elevated temperature; the person sweats heavily.
- Scarlet fever : the face turns red and the nasolabial triangle becomes pale. In addition, the temperature rises, and a red rash spreads throughout the body.
- Pneumonia , when one cheek turns red. There is also a feeling of difficulty breathing, cough, weakness, and increased body temperature.
- Sinusitis . Here one cheek is also painted - on the affected side. At the same time, there is a headache, a fever, a stuffy nose, and when instilled, a large amount of secretion is released, often mucopurulent.
- Both cheeks and the back of the nose turn red with a disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Redness of the cheeks against the background of an intestinal infection or acute respiratory infection in a child is a sign that his underlying disease has been complicated by the development of acetonemic syndrome. This is a condition when the body uses fats rather than glucose as energy substrates, the breakdown products of which have a toxic effect on the brain.
- A large dose of atropine or scopolamine for a given person.
- Poisoning with hallucinogens.
Also, the face - especially if a person suffers from vegetative-vascular dystonia - changes its color to red with any illness that is accompanied by an increase in temperature.
Yellow skin with normal bilirubin. Jaundice first. Suprahepatic
This jaundice, like the next two, is caused by an increased content of the pigment bilirubin in the blood. Where does it even come from? From destroyed red blood cells. When red blood cells die, whether for natural or pathological reasons, the released hemoglobin turns into biliverdin (which gives bruises their greenish color), and then into bilirubin (which makes bruises “yellow”). In the liver, bilirubin passes into a “bound” form, and is then excreted through the bile ducts and intestines with feces.
Normally, bilirubin reaches the liver so quickly that its level in the blood is low and constant. However, if for some reason there is a massive breakdown of red blood cells, the liver cannot cope, and the level of unbound, “free” pigment in the blood increases. As a result, the sclera of the eyes, mucous membranes and skin acquire a lemon-yellow color. The same situation occurs if liver cells are unable to bind bilirubin (this happens, for example, with a hereditary disease - Gilbert's syndrome).
Massive breakdown of red blood cells most often occurs in acute poisoning with hemolytic poisons and anaphylactic shock that develops due to incompatibility of the transfused blood and the patient’s blood. In addition, this condition can occur due to mechanical effects on red blood cells (for example, when filtering blood on a heart-lung machine, plasmapheresis or hemodialysis machines). Also, the cause of destruction of red blood cells can be hereditary pathology - genetically determined defects in the structure of the cells themselves.
Newborns also have suprahepatic jaundice - normally it goes away in the first few days after birth, its cause is the immaturity of the liver enzyme systems.
Treatment
Treatment of the syndrome consists of treatment of the disease that caused the development of jaundice and correction of symptoms. Can be conservative or surgical.
Conservative. To reduce intoxication, you will need a special diet, infusion therapy (drips), and drugs that improve metabolism in the liver.
Surgical. If necessary, the hospital performs all types of surgical treatment, mainly using minimally invasive laparoscopic methods (for example, laparoscopic cholecystectomy).
Extracorporeal hemocorrection. In case of autoimmune processes (for example, autoimmune hepatitis), highly effective innovative technologies of extracorporeal hemocorrection are used, which make it possible to quickly cleanse the blood of aggressive autoantibodies and immune complexes, stop the exacerbation and improve the patient’s condition.
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Diagnostics
A therapist will tell you how to determine what causes a change in complexion. When prescribing your tests or recommending a consultation with a more specialized specialist, he will proceed from the new shade of your skin.
So, if your face is pale, you will be prescribed:
- general blood test with mandatory determination of reticulocytes - the ancestors of red blood cells;
- osmotic resistance of erythrocytes;
- coagulogram;
- liver tests.
If you are concerned about yellowness, the therapist refers you to an infectious disease specialist, and he, focusing on the history of your life and this disease, as well as ultrasound of the liver, gallbladder and pancreas, liver tests and markers for viral hepatitis, decides whether he, a gastroenterologist or hematologist.
Olive complexion requires the attention of a gastroenterologist, who will examine, palpate and listen to your stomach, prescribe an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity (it is performed after preparation) and FEGDS (here you will have to swallow the probe).
Black or blue shades that appear overnight, especially if there is a feeling of lack of air, require calling an ambulance. These specialists will figure out who should consult or treat you. If black spots are bothering you, but there are no other symptoms, it is advisable to consult the staff of the Department of Dermatology.
Cardiologists will help determine the reasons for the red color. These doctors will come to the aid of a tonometer for measuring blood pressure and an ECG. They will probably also need an ultrasound of your kidneys and adrenal glands to find out the cause of your high blood pressure, as well as an ultrasound of your heart.
What causes yellow skin?
Most often, people begin to think about skin color when they notice pronounced yellowness. The most common cause of yellowing is excess bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a breakdown product of the iron-containing protein hemoglobin, which is responsible for the movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide. This blood pigment usually accumulates in the blood due to liver disease and blockage of the bile ducts. Yellowness caused by excess bilirubin primarily appears on the palms of the hands, the underside of the tongue, and the sclera of the eyes.
In addition to liver diseases, yellowing of the skin can be caused by improper functioning of the thyroid gland, namely a lack of substances capable of breaking down beta-carotene. A bloodless yellow complexion indicates the development of cancer, and staining of the iris and eyelids can be caused by excess cholesterol or abnormal lipid metabolism. In general, yellowness appears when:
- diseases of the digestive system;
- oncological diseases;
- diseases of the endocrine system;
- diseases of the excretory system.
If the yellowness of the skin does not go away over a long period, you should go to a gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist or hematologist. Only a doctor can make a correct diagnosis after the necessary examination, so try to avoid self-medication.
It is worth remembering that bad habits and bad food provoke the appearance of unhealthy skin. Also, a yellow complexion is characteristic of people who eat a lot of carrots, oranges, pumpkin and some medications, and also regularly use cosmetics based on these products.
Snow Queen symptoms: excessive pallor
Often, prolonged pale skin is perceived by others as a symptom of a certain illness. Unfortunately, very often people are mistaken in their forecasts and do not pay due attention to the harbinger of trouble. But pallor can indicate a variety of diseases, from angina pectoris to iron deficiency anemia. In fact, the reasons for a pale complexion are not always so frightening, but if a person daily hears compliments similar to “You have no face!” Isn’t it time to see a doctor?
In case of kidney disease, pallor is accompanied by swelling, and in case of iron deficiency anemia - low blood pressure and fatigue. The area of the face around the lips and nose is responsible for diseases of the cardiovascular system. Pale skin also indicates an ulcer, duodenal disease and various infectious diseases. Pallor also accompanies a number of other ailments:
- low pressure;
- lack of certain hormones;
- tuberculosis and other lung diseases;
- vitamin deficiency and hypovitaminosis.
Short-term pallor can be caused by fear, stress, pain and cold. A person turns pale from sudden temperature changes. It is especially common to find pale skin color in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
How to restore healthy skin color
The standard of a beautiful skin color is a pinkish tint with a slight blush on the cheeks. You need to start achieving a healthy skin color by visiting a doctor and treating existing diseases. Then you can only speed up the process of restoring your complexion
To begin with, it is important to get rid of bad habits and follow a proper diet. Ensure regular physical activity and get enough time outdoors every day
It is worth filling your life with joyful moments and pleasant emotions, reducing stress, getting enough sleep regularly and learning to enjoy life. Yellow and pale complexion will disappear after eating unripe dates, figs, rare meats and healthy seasonings. Good wine in moderation, onions, radishes and cabbage will restore freshness and beauty. Don’t forget about skin care using products prepared with your own hands according to a variety of folk recipes. The main thing to remember is that healthy skin is an indicator of the health of the whole body!
Darkening of color
This word can describe complexion in various diseases.
Adrenal insufficiency
A uniformly dark complexion, when the skin can be described as bronze or too dark, is characteristic of adrenal insufficiency - usually primary, when the paired endocrine organ itself suffers. In this case, it will not be the face that will darken at first, but not the parts of the body protected by clothing, those that rub against parts of clothing and those that are already pigmented (peripapillary circle, genitals, armpits). In addition, there will be weight loss, digestive disorders, and sometimes changes in the sexual sphere. Learn more about the symptoms and causes of adrenal insufficiency.
Thyrotoxicosis
When the dark color does not cover the face evenly, but with blurred brown spots, this indicates increased activity of the thyroid gland. Additional signs that speak in its favor will be a rapid, palpable heartbeat, skin that is hot to the touch, irritability, increased appetite and, at the same time, weight loss.
Spots with hyperthyroidism must be distinguished from lentigo or chloasma - areas of melanin accumulation that occur due to other reasons. In both of these cases, there will be no changes in the general condition - only areas of darker skin will appear. And they, unlike spots with hyperthyroidism, will not change their shape and color. Read more about the symptoms and treatment of thyrotoxicosis.
Liver pathologies
If not the entire face darkens, but only the area near the hair, this indicates liver disease. In this case, a person may notice a deterioration in appetite, a desire to sleep longer, an aversion to fatty foods and bleeding when brushing teeth, or heavier periods. If there is at least one more sign, in addition to areas of darkening of the face, contact a therapist or gastroenterologist and take a liver test. Read more about the symptoms of liver disease.
Bacterial endocarditis
The word “dark color” can also describe light brown, which is also called “coffee with milk”. This is the complexion characteristic of prolonged septic endocarditis, a disease in which bacteria settle on the heart valves, leading to the development of polyposis and ulcers here.
This pathology is characterized by a slow deterioration of the condition in a person who has long been diagnosed with valvular heart disease. He begins to get tired faster and wants to lie down more often. Unpleasant sensations or minor pain appear in the heart. The same vague and unexpressed pains are noted in the joints.
Body temperature rises: usually to low levels, with chills and palpitations. Later it rises to 39 degrees, chills appear, and the person sweats profusely. Sometimes the temperature immediately rises to high levels, an attack of heart palpitations develops, and first one thing or another hurts. In some cases, the temperature remains elevated for a long time to 37.8, and against this background it periodically rises to 39 and above.
Septic endocarditis is a life-threatening disease: masses of endocardium “recycled” by bacteria, which were located here in the form of polyps, “fly off” from the valves. Such emboli can clog the vessels of organs: brain, kidneys, spleen, limbs, skin. Kidney damage is manifested by darkening of the urine, the appearance of blood in it, and a decrease in its amount. With cerebral embolism, clouding of consciousness, dizziness, double vision, muscle twitching or convulsions occur. A sudden loss of consciousness with difficulty breathing may occur, which leads to death if help is not provided urgently.
Hemorrhages occur in the skin, which look like large or smaller areas soaked in blood (irregular bruises), the center of which is whitish. They do not rise above the skin, and often affect only the skin of the legs and the conjunctiva of the lower eyelid. The disease is also characterized by the following symptom: the appearance of red, dense and painful nodules on the palms or soles, which resolve after 2-3 days.
Hemochromatosis
Here, grayish-brown or dark brown spots appear on the skin, merging with each other, which can serve as a reason for making a preliminary diagnosis of chronic adrenal insufficiency. An accurate diagnosis is made by skin biopsy in stained areas, when deposits of hemosiderin and melanin are detected.
Early systemic scleroderma
Here, numbness and coldness of the hands first appear, accompanied by the feeling of crawling “goosebumps”. These symptoms bother the patient for several years without being supplemented by anything else. Then dark spots appear on the hands, face and feet, or only in a separate location. They are dense, seem to consist of thick skin, spread to free areas, and hinder movements of the facial muscles. The diagnosis is made by detecting antibodies to RNA polymerase, topoisomerase I or histone in the blood (one type of antibody is detected in each patient), as well as antinuclear factor (it is detected in 90-95%).
Porphyria cutanea tarda
When this disease develops after exposure to the sun, as well as when drinking alcohol, blisters appear on exposed areas of the body, the skin becomes brittle and brittle, darkens, but may also lighten. After the slightest injury to the skin, the same thing happens. The conjunctiva of the eyes swells and turns red, while the throat does not turn red, and no other cold symptoms occur. Ultrasound shows liver damage.
Variegated porphyria manifests itself in a similar way. Only doctors distinguish them.
Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis
In this case, a brown spot of varying diameter (café au lait color) appears on the body - one or many. The disease debuts in childhood. It is also characterized by premature puberty and high blood pressure.
Similar symptoms are characteristic of two other diseases that appear in childhood - Watson's syndrome and Albright's syndrome. Only doctors can distinguish them.
Dysplastic nevus syndrome
Dark brown spots with a clear border appear on the skin. Papules raised above the skin and variegated in color may also develop. There are usually no other complaints.
Leopard syndrome
Dark brown spots are found everywhere on the skin. And although other symptoms are not subjectively disturbing, when performing an ECG, various types of changes are noted. An ultrasound of the heart reveals a decrease in the lumen (stenosis) of the pulmonary artery.
Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
Multiple dark brown spots appear on the lips and fingers. In addition, periodic pain in the abdomen (closer to the navel) is bothersome. When examined by a gastroenterologist or during an X-ray examination of the intestine with preliminary administration of contrast (barium), polyposis of the small intestine is detected.
Poor nutrition and lifestyle
Are you already panicking, are you going to the doctor? Calm down - maybe everything is not so dramatic, and your skin turned yellow simply because you:
- A big fan of freshly squeezed carrot juice, Korean salads and other carrot dishes.
- Every day you load up on carotene-rich fruits and vegetables (and this includes not only tangerines, oranges and other citrus fruits, but also broccoli, pumpkin and rose hips).
- You put too much vinegar and cumin in your food.
- You smoke too much.
- She has a big sweet tooth and can’t go a day without sweets, cakes and pastries.
- A confirmed night owl and coffee lover. Yes, yes - your skin may have turned yellow due to lack of sleep and caffeine addiction.
- Do you like to pump iron and go on starvation diets at the same time? The combination is not the most advantageous - it sometimes makes your face turn yellow.
- A fan of solariums and sunbathing. Don’t forget - everything should be in moderation, even the source of life - the sun.
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Smoking is one of the common causes of yellowing of the skin
The sun can not only “yellow” the skin, but also age it. To avoid this, read how to make a protein face mask against wrinkles.
Which nation has yellow skin color. How to determine nationality?
Nationality is a set of character traits that have developed over centuries of history and external data that distinguish an individual from representatives of another nationality. It is noteworthy that people living in neighboring regions differ only slightly in national characteristics, while representatives of different continents differ radically. Such differences between nationalities turn into racial ones. Before determining a person’s nationality, you must know the basic characteristics in appearance by which you can distinguish representatives of different nationalities - hair and skin color, shape and shape of the nose, as well as eyes. Representatives of different nationalities also have speech differences, but they will not always allow one to determine a specific nationality, since half the world speaks English, not just the British.
National differences of Africans
The skin of Africans (or blacks) ranges in color from brown to black. Pure-blooded Africans will never have blue or gray eyes - only black or brown. The shape of the eyes can be either round or almond-shaped. The nose is slightly flattened, with wide nostrils. Representatives of the African continent have dark and, as a rule, curly hair, broad shoulders and long legs, and they are tall.
National differences of Chechens
Both Chechens and Ingushets have light skin. Eye color - brown or black, small eyes. Dark and thick hair, eyebrows fused on the bridge of the nose are distinctive features of Chechens, who also have a straight and large nose with a wide bridge. The height of representatives of this nationality is approximately average. The figure is proportional.
National differences of Georgians
Very often, belonging to a particular nationality can be determined by last name. For example, native Georgians have a surname ending in “dze”. Therefore, how to determine nationality by last name is written in the relevant literature. In addition to their surname, Georgians can be distinguished by their light skin, almond-shaped brown or black eyes, an elongated nose with a hump, and thick, pitch-black hair. Representatives of this nationality have a proportional figure; in terms of height, Georgians are usually tall people, and not only men, but also women.
National differences of Jews
Jews have light skin, often with freckles, protruding and round eyes, gray or brown in color, and they have a large nose with a downturned tip. As a rule, the edges of the nostrils of Jews are slightly raised upward. This nationality has either dark or red hair. If you need to identify a Jew from the male half of society, then take a closer look at his facial hair - it is often different in tone from that on his head. Jews are a short nation, so there are no tall people among them, and often men are characterized by below average height. The Jewish figure has a disproportionate structure - they have a wide pelvis and narrow shoulders.
National differences of Armenians
Before determining nationality by appearance, take a closer look at the eyes - perhaps an Armenian is standing in front of you if the person’s eyes are almond-shaped, wide-set, and brown in color. Armenians have fair skin and thick and curly hair. Especially in men, dense vegetation is observed throughout the body. Armenians have a long, hooked nose, medium to tall stature, and a proportional build.
National differences of the Chinese
In order to determine the nationality of a person, it is not necessary to see him in person, since you can determine the nationality from a photo. The Chinese nationality, the most numerous on our planet, is characterized by a small and narrow nose, slanted and wide-set eyes - they are black. The Chinese have yellowish or brownish skin color and short stature. The physique of representatives of this nationality is proportional. The hair of the Chinese is dark and coarse, straight, and there is practically no hair on the body of men.
National differences of the Tatars
Tatars have a yellowish skin tone and dark or red hair, and representatives of this nationality often begin to go bald at a young age. Their eyes are brown and narrow, as is their nose, which in profile practically does not protrude above the rest of their facial features. Therefore, the face of Tatars often appears flat. Proportional physique and average or below average height are the national differences of this nation.
We hope that this information has helped you in deciding the question of how to determine your nationality or the nationality of your friend or friend.
Common Symptom Causes
There are many provoking factors for this syndrome. They are directly related to disruption of the internal processes of the body, but are not always truly dangerous. If a child has yellow skin, it is necessary to urgently show the baby to a pediatrician. Remember - acute hepatitis that is not treated in time can become the main cause of severe complications, and even end tragically, causing death.
Yellow skin - causes:
The types of acute hepatitis may vary depending on the underlying disorders and the clinical picture of the disease. Doctors divide jaundice into three main types.
- Hemolytic jaundice originates due to the intensive breakdown of hemoglobin proteins. In this case, the liver stops performing its direct functions, converting indirect bilirubin into direct bilirubin. The yellow tint of the skin is formed precisely because of the high concentration of indirect bilirubin in the patient’s blood.
- Hepatic jaundice occurs due to various lesions of the liver tissue. These can be serious inflammatory processes, hepatitis with viral etiology, severe liver intoxication (caused by excessive consumption of alcohol, some narcotic and psychoactive substances, inhalation of toxic fumes, taking medications with corresponding side effects), leptospirosis, false tuberculosis, cirrhosis of the liver. Under the influence of these factors, the level of direct bilirubin in the patient’s body increases. The reason for this is the reabsorption of the substance into the bloodstream due to the inability of the liver to process it normally.
- Cholestatic jaundice is caused by damage to the gallbladder and bile ducts. It especially often occurs in the case of blockage of the bile ducts, due to which the fluid cannot circulate in the drainage organs. This effect is mainly associated with benign neoplasms in the gallbladder (stones), or tumor growths, including oncology. In this case, an excessive accumulation of direct bilirubin occurs due to a violation of its entry into the biliary tract and the effect of reverse absorption into the blood.
Blackening of the face
If the skin turns black, this is a sign that you need to urgently consult a doctor, as it is dangerous. This coloring may appear due to the following diseases.
Meningococcal infection
This life-threatening disease most often affects children: in adults, the meningococcus bacterium most often does not cause illness, but forms a carrier state, settling in the nose (such people are infectious to their loved ones without knowing it).
The disease occurs acutely: body temperature rises, spots appear on the skin. At first they may be red, then they become purple, brown or black, and merge. Without emergency medical care, the rash merges, forming large black areas, while the person becomes lethargic, drowsy, and may vomit, after which it does not get better. An ambulance should be called as soon as possible.
Kidney diseases
If a person develops an infectious disease of the kidneys or bladder, he may develop a black discoloration of the skin of the face - mainly in the area of the cheekbones and the root of the nose. Additional symptoms include change in urine color, lower back pain, nausea, fever, and painful urination.
Pellagra
This is a disease when the body is low in B vitamins, especially vitamin PP (nicotinic acid). It usually occurs after an intestinal infection, against the background of chronic alcohol consumption, with frequent exposure to ultraviolet rays of the sun or solarium, and also when a person experiences increased loss of this vitamin during pregnancy, lactation or hard work against the background of chronic malnutrition.
The main symptoms of the disease will be: general weakness, a burning sensation in the mouth, “goosebumps” that periodically “run” along the arms, constant diarrhea and abdominal pain. Red spots or blisters with cloudy liquid first appear on the skin of the face and open parts of the body, then a dark color appears here. The skin in these places peels off.
In addition to skin manifestations, a person notes mental status disorders: fatigue, depression, and sometimes psychosis with hallucinations.
Xeroderma pigmentosum
This is a hereditary disease in which the integumentary tissue is hypersensitive to ultraviolet rays. When exposed to this radiation, areas of redness, spider veins and large, merging pigment spots of a dark, almost black color appear on the skin of open areas, including the face.
Excessive melanoblastosis
It appears in newborns. At the same time, damage to the nervous system comes to the fore: drowsiness, vomiting not associated with food, strabismus, low tone of the hands and some others. This occurs due to the deposition of melanin in the nuclei of the cranial nerves. The same pigment is deposited in the skin, which turns it black.
Occupational melasma
If a person works with petroleum distillation products (tar, pitches) for a long time, substances are absorbed into the skin that enhance the effect of ultraviolet radiation on it.
Yellow complexion due to cancer. Obstructive jaundice in liver cancer: prognosis and treatment
Obstructive jaundice in cancer is manifested by yellowing of the skin, sclera and mucous membranes. The development of this pathology significantly complicates further treatment of a cancer patient and aggravates his condition. Diagnosis of this disease is made using non-invasive and invasive methods, and only surgical methods are used in treatment - palliative or radical surgery.
Obstructive jaundice due to liver tumor
Jaundice in cancer is a serious complication that is practically not amenable to drug treatment. The mechanism of formation of jaundice in oncology is quite simple and understandable: the cancerous tumor grows, gradually squeezing not only the blood vessels, but also the internal and external bile ducts. As a result, bile simply has nowhere to go, and it begins to accumulate in the vascular bed. Normally, it flows into the intestinal lumen, where it performs its beneficial functions. However, its excess in the blood, i.e., an increase in the concentration of bilirubin, creates extremely favorable conditions for further progression of the disease
Outwardly, the patient, first of all, will pay attention to the yellowing of the skin due to cancer: if before this the skin was pink, physiological, and perhaps pale, characteristic of oncological pathology, now it is yellowish, and sometimes nuclear yellow. If we are talking about a slight change in skin color, then relatives and the patient himself often mistakenly take this phenomenon as symptoms of some kind of improvement - the body’s adaptation to cancer; but in fact they have stepped through another stage of cancer development
Earthy color
If your face suddenly acquires an unhealthy, sallow color, this may indicate chronic lack of sleep, lack of fresh air, unbalanced diet, excessive tanning and smoking. But most often this shade indicates pathology. For example:
- Poor functioning of the thyroid gland . At the same time, the face becomes not only dull, but also puffy. The skin is dry, and the hair is brittle, splits and falls out. There is also excess weight with decreased appetite and poor nutrition.
- Oncological disease (cancer) of any localization, including leukemia.
- HIV infections . At the same time, the disease is staged: at first, a slightly elevated temperature lasts for several months, then it increases and a large number of lymph nodes begin to be felt. Only then does the color of the skin fade, a person begins to often suffer from pneumonia, every small violation of the integrity of the skin takes a long time to heal, and long-term diseases develop, the cause of which cannot be immediately found.
- Sepsis (blood poisoning). In this case, at first there are symptoms of some bacterial disease: inflammation of the kidneys, lungs, festering wound, abscess, osteomyelitis, sinusitis, and so on. Then, after a short-term improvement, the temperature rises again, weakness, headache and nausea appear. This is complemented by symptoms of kidney or liver damage.
Symptoms of diseases based on skin tone
Pale skin tone is a symptom of anemia
Have you often been told lately that you are as pale as a ghost? Do not be criminally frivolous. This pallor may be a symptom of anemia, in which there are low numbers of red blood cells in the blood. Although there are different types of anemia, the most common is iron deficiency, which occurs when there is not enough iron in the diet. It is rare in men, but up to 20% of women and a huge number of pregnant women suffer from anemia - about 50%.
Another clear sign of anemia is fatigue, which is why this pathology is called “tired blood.” Other symptoms of anemia include weakness, shortness of breath, irritability and brittle nails. The whites of the eyes (sclera) take on a bluish tint. Although anemia in women is most often associated with diets or heavy menstruation, this disease occurs in men and women during menopause, with internal, especially gastrointestinal, bleeding. Anemia can be caused by bleeding from an ulcer or improper use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In some cases, anemia develops as the first symptom of leukemia and other cancers, especially those associated with the stomach, colon, or esophagus.
Skin with a blue tint is a symptom of what disease?
Have you noticed that the skin has acquired some kind of bluish tint? This may be a sign of cyanosis - a lack of oxygen in the blood. Oxygenated blood has a bright red color
As it loses oxygen, the color changes to a slightly purple color; If oxygen becomes very low, the skin takes on a bluish tint. External changes can appear on the lips, nails, sometimes feet, nose and ears.
Sometimes cyanosis is provoked by external factors - for example, prolonged exposure to cold or cold water or at high altitude. But a bluish tint to the skin that does not go away can warn of a variety of systemic disorders that block the access of oxygen to the blood. Including information about lung diseases: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Cyanosis also develops with cardiac pathologies.
Skin with a yellow tint is a symptom of what disease?
If your skin has a yellowish tint, this is most likely a symptom of jaundice, which primarily causes the whites of the eyes to turn yellow. The yellow color appears due to excess bilirubin in the body - a yellow substance - a breakdown product of red blood cells. But if the skin has turned yellowish-orange, it may be due to carotenemia - a large amount of beta-carotene or vitamin A, coming from dietary supplements or foods, such as carrots.
In some cases, a yellowish tint to the skin is inherited in a harmless form of jaundice called Gilbert's syndrome. But most often, such a change indicates pathologies such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver or pancreas cancer. Jaundice can be a symptom of hypothyroidism or infectious mononucleosis, a viral disease also known as the “kissing disease.”
Some people experience discoloration in areas of their skin that have been exposed to perfume or cologne when exposed to the sun. In many cases, the resulting spots remain forever. Signs of hyperthyroidism may include excessively dry skin, split ends and flaky nails.
Jaundice
is a yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes, which is especially noticeable on the eye sclera, the lower surface of the tongue (if the tongue is raised to the upper palate), and also on the palms. This is where jaundice appears first. Yellowing of the skin is also accompanied by darkening of the urine—beer-colored urine—this symptom appears first of all.
Yellowing of the skin is most often a sign of high levels of bilirubin in the blood. Sometimes the skin turns yellow when there is an increased level of carotene in the blood, which happens when you abuse carrot or orange diets.
Bilirubin is a blood pigment that is a breakdown product of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin, in turn, is an iron-containing protein that performs a transport function for oxygen and carbon dioxide and is found in erythrocytes - red blood cells.
Bilirubin can be direct or indirect.
Formed after the breakdown of hemoglobin, bilirubin binds to blood plasma protein. This type of bilirubin is called indirect; it is insoluble in water and cannot be excreted from the body in urine or bile.
Indirect bilirubin enters the liver, where it undergoes a series of biochemical reactions, which leads to the formation of direct bilirubin. Direct bilirubin is freely excreted with bile into the intestines, as well as with urine.
Pigments
Healthy color is provided by a combination of four pigments:
- melanin;
- carotene;
- oxyhemoglobin;
- reduced hemoglobin.
Melanin
This is a brown pigment. Its task is to protect the skin from ultraviolet rays, which are dangerous due to their oncogenicity, ability to cause burns and oxidative stress (and with it early aging). Therefore, when exposed to the sun, our skin turns brown, and people living in conditions of increased solar activity have dark or even black skin.
Melanin is produced in special cells of the epidermis - melanocytes. Through special processes, vesicles with pigment are delivered to other cells - keratinocytes, where they accumulate. Some of it is dissolved in the dermis.
The accumulation of melanin bubbles in the main skin cells is dictated not only by genetic, but also by constitutional factors. Thus, some localizations darken greatly under the influence of ultraviolet rays, while others remain practically unchanged, while others are brown regardless of radiation. Genetics “dictates” that some people become very dark in the spring and summer. Others - this disorder is called albinism - do not tan under any circumstances, maintaining a milky white skin color.
The process of formation and accumulation of melanin is regulated by two main enzymes - copper-containing and zinc-dependent. If the body lacks each of them, there is nothing to absorb ultraviolet rays.
Carotene
This is the name of the yellow pigment dissolved in the dermis of the skin. It is a natural antioxidant that protects the skin from the harmful effects of oxygen radicals. The same one is found in carrots and some algae, from where, when eaten, it penetrates the skin.
In the Caucasian race, carotene is almost invisible - it is hidden by melanin. But in Mongoloids it is visible and turns their skin yellowish.
Hemoglobin and its types
This pigment is not found in the skin itself, but in the vessels lying in the dermis. Its main task is to transfer oxygen to tissues and take carbon dioxide from them. When it transports oxygen (called oxyhemoglobin), it is pink in color. When hemoglobin is saturated with carbon dioxide, it colors the vessels dark red or bluish. The extent to which the hemoglobin present in the vessels will stain the skin will depend on:
- number of blood vessels in the skin;
- proximity of dermal capillaries to the surface layer of the skin;
- filling of these capillaries, which depends on the pressure in the larger arteries. This is regulated by the autonomic nervous system and the hormonal system. The filling of small skin vessels is also affected by the amount of fluid in the vascular bed;
- thickness of the stratum corneum.
Pathological pigments
The skin can be colored not only by pigments present under physiological conditions, but also by substances that penetrate here during pathology. Sometimes these are pathological substances - such as iodine or silver. But more often these are products formed from hemoglobin:
- Bilirubin, which is formed during the breakdown of red blood cells. There is a lot of it in the body either when large quantities of red blood cells are destroyed at once, or when hemoglobin metabolism in the liver is disrupted. It turns the skin yellow and the condition it causes is called jaundice. We'll talk more below.
- A rich dark, almost blue color of the skin occurs when a person’s hemoglobin changes its structure, becoming methemoglobin. Such a substance, containing iron of a different valency, does not tolerate oxygen, and if there is a lot of it in the vessels, it is deadly.
- Brown color can be caused not only by the accumulation of melanin. The skin acquires this shade as a result of a genetic disease called “porphyria”, when the hemoglobin contained in the vessels of the skin, which is in the process of transformation, is exposed to sunlight.
Thus, skin color depends on the combination of coloring pigments in different layers of the skin, as well as its thickness. An even complexion is obtained when all parameters - pigment saturation, thickness of the stratum corneum, and distribution of blood vessels - are the same in all areas.
This is influenced by:
- the work of the autonomic nervous system (it is what regulates the lumen of blood vessels);
- quality of facial skin care;
- human lifestyle: nutrition, bad habits;
- environmental conditions of the place of residence;
- chronic diseases.